m Perry Ellis 2004

After last week’s very positive experience with the Acqua Di Gio lookalike 360 Red, today it was time for another Perry Ellis fragrance. And again, the scent reminds me of a big player in the business, albeit a bit less obviously. But it’s another tip for the relatively unknown brand.

Perry Ellis - M resembles Chanel's classic Allure Homme, let’s say about 70%. It’s a similar fitting comparison as with Individuel & Original Santal - where a similar level of sweetness is also achieved. With its young, sexy, but not overly masculine blend of vanilla, caramel, fresher citrus notes, light synthetic elements & creamy tonka, it is a perfect all-rounder. Yes, it is very sweet, but I never find it intrusive. It might even be more versatile than its overall more mature counterpart, especially for those under 20 who want to appear playful & confident without having to raid the communion fund. In its worst phases, the scent reminds me of Axe Nutella Limited Edition, but in its best moments, it smells high-quality delicious & five times as expensive as it actually is. Regardless, it remains a price tip & a perfect entry-level fragrance. So don’t be put off by the price & name.

Bottle: not ugly, but chic is something else.
Sillage: a medium-strength companion
Longevity: I was a bit disappointed - 5-6 hours is behind all the benchmarks.

Conclusion: a successful alternative to Allure Homme, but not quite as perfected & unfortunately not as affordable as it used to be!